Connecting a device to a public network provider (e.g., WiFi networks of coffee shops and hotels) creates a viable security threat. The public network connection makes the device vulnerable to third party access of data (e.g., usernames, passwords, and emails) sent through the public network. Indeed, an increasing number of people suffer from identity theft through this third party access of sensitive information.
A number of tools have been developed to enable third party access to devices that connect to public networks. For example, the WiFi Pineapple has the capability of hijacking public network traffic by establishing a rogue access point. The WiFi Pineapple can specifically mask itself as a public network to which the devices attempt to automatically connect. The connection to the rogue access point then enables the WiFi Pineapple to access packets of data sent to and from the devices, and may even allow the WiFi Pineapple to take over the devices.
Currently, there are various mechanisms designed to protect users (e.g., clients of the devices) from such third party access. Virtual private networks (VPNs) have been developed to provide point-to-point encryption from the client device to its destination, avoiding any rogue access points. However, encryption via the VPN connection is often not necessary when connected to a trusted network provider which cannot be masked. And, when a VPN connection may be preferred to protect sensitive data, users may forget to connect to the VPN connection.
Therefore, there is a need to mitigate the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the prior art.